Incident Overview
A helicopter pilot, accompanied by three passengers, departed from a dock on his property for a local flight. After approximately one hour, the pilot returned to the same dock to land. The approach was normal, but as the pilot brought the helicopter to a 2- to 3-foot hover above the dock, the helicopter "dropped violently onto its skids." Following the hard landing, the helicopter began sliding backward with its tail down toward the water. The pilot applied power in an attempt to regain a hover, but the helicopter then rolled onto its left side and slid rearward into the water.
Damage
The accident resulted in damage to the rotor, airframe, transmission, engine, and avionics.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that no mechanical abnormalities were present with the helicopter prior to the flight, and he did not report experiencing any mechanical issues after the accident leading up to the initiation of the accident sequence.